Local Baker Feeds the Need

Adorned in shorts, tee shirt and a flashy apron, Jesse Cowan bakes bread in a very unlikely location, Caroba Plastics. Caroba Plastics was founded in 1983, beginning as a small, family owned and operated manufacturing business. Today the company employs more than 100 people 24 hours per day, seven days per week in the industrial area of Englewood. Jesse came to Caroba when she found herself without work after nearly 40 years as a nurse. After a couple of weeks on the job, it was determined that she was "too slow on the line," and was let go. Barry Hart, Caroba Plastics CEO, considers his business to be "about the people" and knew that Jesse was an especially caring woman. He knew that there had to be a place for her at Caroba and asked "Can she bake bread?"

Why bread, you may ask? Barry Hart is a faithful man and believes that, "Bread is the staff of life." Jesse shares this view revealing that "With just a few loaves, Jesus fed the multitudes. With the bread I bake, I feed the hunger in the stomach and follow God's plan for my life." Jesse has been following this plan for nearly four years in her fully-equipped kitchen at Caroba. She bakes 32 loaves of bread weekly, half of which are given to the employees at Caroba Plastics. The other 16 loaves are provided to two local charities, His Hands Christian Ministries and Inter-Faith community services.

Sandra Blythe-Perry, Executive Direction of Inter-Faith Community Services states,"We are so very lucky to have a local corporate affiliate like Caroba Plastics. Freshly baked bread is a true luxury for our clients and feel privileged by this unique collaboration." Inter-Faith Community Services provides over 120,000 meals annually to clients in Englewood, Centennial, Glendale, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Lone Tree, Sheridan an unincorporated Arapahoe county. "We could not meet this without community partners like Caroba Plastics," affirms Sandra Blythe Perry, "it is the community that helps us feed the hungry."

In today's economy, partnerships between non-profits and local businesses are critical in meeting the increased demand created by financial hardship. The contribution that Caroba Plastics makes to Inter-Faith Community Services is admirable and works well to augment the collaborations with community churches, service clubs and other caring organizations. If you, your organization or business have ideas of ways to get involved with Inter-Faith Community Services, please contact us at 303-789-0501. To learn more about Inter-Faith's services visit www.ifcs.org